Fellowship

Johnson Family Foundation (JFF) supports the development of healthy, vibrant, and just communities where individuals, families and the next generation of leaders can thrive. JFF funds programs to improve the health of our environment; promote equality and social progress; and support education and youth. 

The purpose of this fellowship is to invest in rising leaders in New York City and to support their careers in public service. Our vision is to cultivate a network of experts, elected officials, and activists who will drive policy change and help improve government so that it better serves the public in New York State.

This is a two-year fellowship that will begin September 2023 and run through August 2025, in person. The program will have three distinct but connected tracks - one fellow in each track - (1) grassroots, (2) policy and advocacy, and (3) electoral. 

The application deadline is Friday, March 31, 2023.

About the host organizations: 

Riders Alliance (grassroots track) is a grassroots organization led by bus and subway riders from across the city with a shared vision: a public transit system that works for every New Yorker, in every community. We fight for reliable, affordable, world-class public transit to build a more just and sustainable New York. Together, we hold our election officials accountable and take direct action to guarantee that riders have a powerful voice in the decisions that affect us. Since we formed in 2012, Riders Alliance has successfully lobbied for service improvements on bus and subway lines, won the Fair Fares program, which offers discounted fares to low-income New Yorkers, and helped pass the country's first-ever congestion pricing program. Learn more here: https://www.ridersalliance.org/. 

Center for Popular Democracy (policy/ advocacy track) is a national organization based in New York that woks to create equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with high-impact base-building organizations, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. CPD strengthens our collective capacity to envision and win an innovative pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda. We train, support, and connect leaders across the country to create the thriving, multiracial, participatory democracy that our families, communities, and nation need. Whether fighting to raise wages or expand social housing, we take action in the streets, courthouses, voting booths, and beyond. Together, we are building the world we deserve. Learn more here: https://www.populardemocracy.org/. 

New American Leaders (electoral track) believes that a strong democracy is an inclusive democracy. As the only national organization championing New Americans (first- and second-generation Americans and refugees) as crucial participants in the American political system, NAL provides resources that ensure New Americans can run, win, and lead. NAL accomplishes its mission by offering trainings, building partnerships and coalitions, engaging New American elected officials, and researching solutions to create a more inclusive democracy. Learn more here: https://newamericanleaders.org/. 

For a sample job description, please go here: www.Jffnd.org/s/Sample-Johnson-Justice-Fellowship-Job-Description.pdf

Qualifications: We are looking for three individuals (one fellow in each track) who are good relationship builders, who are flexible and who are adaptive. Each fellow will create a project that supports the organization where you will work, and we expect that the project will evolve as you learn from your colleagues on the ground. We are looking for someone who has a strong social justice and equity lens and is comfortable having courageous conversations. Having the ability to work independently, manage their time effectively, and see projects through to completion is critical to success in this role. Lastly, we are looking for someone with at least three years of experience working in the social justice sector or graduate level experience.

All applicants should have a deep understanding of the diverse communities, issues, and opportunities that make up the current social and political landscape in New York City. 

New American Leaders (electoral track): NAL is seeking a Fellow to join a growing program team and support our regional and national initiatives. The Fellow will be responsible for assisting in planning local and national trainings, conducting state specific political and electoral background research, recruiting community leaders to run for office, and supporting NAL in candidate and alumni development. The Fellow will also help support regional programming with a focus on existing partnerships and future initiatives.

• A demonstrated commitment to serving immigrant communities and building a multi-racial democracy; possess cultural awareness and sensitivity to the needs of undocumented and under-documented communities.
• Minimum of 3 years of campaign and/or political organizing experience working with campaigns and/ or progressive politics.
• Working knowledge of political landscape and campaign finance laws in New York State.
• Expert interpersonal skills in dealing with potential candidates, donors, lawmakers and colleagues.
• Meticulous attention to detail. Ability to adapt quickly to changing deadlines and priorities.
• Willingness and availability to travel and work on weekends for occasional trainings and convenings.

Riders Alliance (grassroots track): Riders Alliance is seeking a fellow to join our team of seasoned organizers to help expand our grassroots base building and member leadership development. The fellow will work directly in communities most reliant on public transit to engage transit riders in our campaigns for more affordable, reliable, and accessible buses and subways. Working closely with our organizing team, the fellow will be responsible for supporting the growth of our leader recruitment and engagement program, including ongoing trainings, community meetings, and designing new creative ways to engage riders in the fight for better public transit.

• Minimum of 3 years in grassroots organizing where you have demonstrated success in developing leadership, and recruiting/ retaining members.
• Excellent people skills: ability to quickly build relationships, to listen to and persuade people, and to engage people effectively around a common goal.
• A record of organizing in diverse settings, including low-income communities and communities of color.
• A strong leadership presence, persuasive communication skills, excellence in public speaking.
• Willingness to travel to neighborhoods in all boroughs of New York City.
• Familiarity with communities in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx and/or lived experience as a Brooklyn, Queens or Bronx transit rider.

Center for Popular Democracy (policy/ advocacy track): The Fellow will be responsible for helping to research the path to victory for state and local wins that advance the CPD network's national campaign. This research would be oriented heavily around identifying electoral compression points and opportunities to make our priority issues salient in the political discourse surrounding elections.

• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and a deep understanding of challenges facing low-wage workers, immigrant communities, communities of color, disabled people, LGBTQ+ folks, and people at the intersections of the above communities.
• Strong listening and relationship building skills and high emotional intelligence.
• Attention to detail and ability to hear and track information with precision.
• Experience utilizing the strategies and tactics used by grassroots power building organizations to win policy change at the state and local level.
• Experience working on a political campaign and/or staffing an elected official is preferred but not required.

If you read through this and are unsure if you meet all of the qualifications, we still encourage you to apply! Click here to apply: application link.

*Please note: if you move to the final round of interviews we will ask you to join us for an in-person interview on April 27th or April 28th in Manhattan.